About one o’clock we came to the banks of the Salado, concerning the crossing of which river we had heard so much.  We had been told it was impossible and impassable; that the rains had swollen the river too much for a safe passage; that at the best of times the banks were too steep and slippery for carts to negotiate, and that all idea of crossing had better be given up.  The Instigator and The Jehu merely smiled when they heard of these difficulties, but some members of the party had wondered how the traversing of that river was to be accomplished, and they were agreeably surprised, on reaching the spot chosen for crossing, to find that a tenant had built a narrow “tajamar,” or earth bank, across the river, which at this place was not very wide.  Everyone dismounted, the horses were taken out, and all hands were in request to pull the vehicles across.  First went the coaches, then the luggage carts were dragged over.  To illustrate the difficulties of the proceedings we publish one of the many photos taken, during the crossing of the tajamar.  Our Guest was one of the first to help in the conveyance of these carts.  Apparently, since the gate-opening episode, he has “learnt the wisdom early to discern true beauty in utility,” for he is always to the fore when work is to be done, and in this case his athletic training proved the truth of the Yankee expression that “It’s muscle that tells.”  The Delineator and The Wild Man, as usual, when real hard work presents itself, “thought the party would like photographs of it,” and, armed with their cameras, retired to safe distances, where the work could not possibly interfere with them or they with it, and took photos of the progress of the carts.  We cannot complain, however, of their action (or inaction, rather), for the resulting pictures make a good memorial of the crossing of the Salado by the “Tacuruers.”  The ladies rushed to assist when they saw that photos were being taken, but, as the carts were well over the danger line by the time the ladies were at the ropes, we have no pictured record of their deeds, which, we may note, were really quite valueless at this point.

[Illustration:  Crossing the Salado.]

[Illustration:  The Effect of a Long Drought.]

Once the horses, carts, and luggage were safely across the tajamar the more serious business of cocktails and lunch was thought of, and, in an incredibly short time, the usual asado of meat, brought from Lucero, was under discussion.

The unfortunate sheep who were still spared were let out for a short run.

The Kid, too, was set free in the hopes that she might possibly prove useful now, but, judging from her attitude during the preparations for lunch, we should say those hopes would not be fulfilled.